Shuttle tourism important, not critical, to Space Coast

MIKE BRANOMAssociated Press Writer

Published Wednesday, February 05, 2003

MERRITT ISLAND -- NASA's ties with the Space Coast tourism industry reach deep into the heart, but not as much into the wallet.

As the shocked, saddened hospitality industry copes with the blow of Saturday's Columbia disaster, tourism officials are expressing relief that they aren't doomed to a sour economic fate. They credit an expansion of tourist destinations and a renewed focus on attracting in-state visitors.

But that's not to say the region will escape unscathed from NASA's halt to its shuttle program. Each launch brings as much as $2 million in tourist revenue to the region. Another five launches were scheduled for 2003, with the next slated for March 1. They are postponed indefinitely.

"There are still going to be some losses, if we go a year without the shuttle," said Rob Varley, director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism. "If it goes as long as the Challenger, you're going to see some layoffs."

When Challenger exploded in 1986, the region's tourism industry was devastated because it leaned so heavily on NASA.

NASA and shuttle activity brought in 45 percent of the visitors to local hotels and motels; now, that figure is down to less than 10 percent, Varley said.

"Back in '86, this was not a vacation destination," he said.

But that has drastically changed, with the Space Coast offering tourists more than just the stars. Popular cruise ships steaming toward Caribbean vacations and gambling getaways depart from nearby Port Canaveral. A ban on gill-net fishing passed by voters in 1994 has restocked sport fish in the Atlantic, drawing 100 fishing tournaments a year.

On Monday, the Florida Space Authority said a diverse economy and less reliance on large federal space programs would prevent a replay of the damage inflicted by the loss of Challenger.

"For visitors, seeing a launch is just the icing on the cake," said Nancy Evans, director of sales and marketing at the Best Western Space Shuttle Inn.